Rufous-fronted Wood-quail

The rufous-fronted wood quail (''Odontophorus erythrops'') is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae, the New World quail. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

Taxonomy and systematics

The rufous-fronted wood quail has at various times been proposed or considered as conspecific with chestnut wood quail (''Odonophorus hyperythrus''), dark-backed wood quail (''O. melanonotus''), and rufous-breasted wood quail (''O. speciosus''). ''O. melanonotus'' has also been considered a subspecies of ''O. erythrops'', and at least two other variations have been proposed as subspecies. As of 2021, rufous-fronted wood quail and chestnut wood quail are treated as a superspecies.Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 August 2021. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved August 24, 2021Carroll, J. P., G. M. Kirwan, and P. F. D. Boesman (2020). Rufous-fronted Wood-Quail (''Odontophorus erythrops''), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.rfwqua1.01 retrieved September 11, 2021

The rufous-fronted wood quail has two subspecies, the nominate ''O. e. erythrops'' and ''O. e. parambae''. To complicate matters, the latter has also been considered to be a separate species.

Description

The rufous-fronted wood quail is long. Males weigh an estimated and females an estimated . The nominate male has a rufous crown, crest, and face, with a ring of bare purple skin around the eye. The back and rump can be black or olive, with black spots. The breast and belly are dark rufous. The female's face is a darker and duller chestnut and the eye ring is blue-black. The juvenile is similar to the female but differs mostly by having black spots and bars on the belly. ''O. e. parambae'' has darker upperparts than the nominate and a white throat.

Distribution and habitat

The nominate subspecies of rufous-fronted wood quail is found in southwestern Ecuador. ''O. e. parambae'' is found more widely, on the Pacific slope of western Ecuador and western Colombia and in Colombia's Magdalena Valley. They inhabit primary and secondary humid tropical forest, in Ecuador up to but usually only as high as in Colombia.

Behavior

Feeding

The rufous-fronted wood quail's diet has not been studied, but they have been noted coming to grain at lodge feeders.

Breeding

The rufous-fronted wood quail's breeding season is believed to span from January to May. No other information about its breeding phenology has been published.

Vocalization

The rufous-fronted wood quail has at least two calls, a "rapidly repeated, ringing duet 'chowita, chowita, chowita'" and "a resonant 'koo-klaw, koo-klaw, koo-klaw'".

Status

The IUCN has assessed the rufous-fronted wood quail as being of Least Concern. The species is found in several protected areas, but outside them " jor threats include deforestation, and possibly hunting."

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1259880

rufous-fronted wood quail
Birds of the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena
rufous-fronted wood quail
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot